Crowds gather for Washington's annual river trek

Reenactors play the fife and drums at the annual crossing of the Delaware. Trentonian Photo/GREGG SLABODA

WASHINGTON CROSSING (AP) — George Washington has made his annual Christmas Day ride across the Delaware River.

The 61st annual re-enactment of Washington’s daring Christmas 1776 crossing of the river — the trek that turned the tide of the Revolutionary War — was staged Wednesday afternoon on the Pennsylvania and New Jersey border.

Hundreds gather each year to hear Washington’s stand-in deliver stirring words to the troops and watch three boats make the crossing from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.

During the crossing 234 years ago, boats ferried 2,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 18 cannons across the river, and the troops marched 8 miles downriver before battling Hessian mercenaries in the streets of Trenton. Thirty Hessians were killed, and two Continental soldiers froze to death on the march, but none died in battle.